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STEM Tuesday– Forests/Temperate Trees — Writing Tips & Resources

By on January 20, 2026   /   Forests/Temperate Trees, STEM Tuesday  

Hello, and welcome back to STEM Tuesday’s Writing Tips and Resources. I’m Stephanie.

The intersection of trees and writing is a well-traversed one. I’ve been meaning to write about it for years, to really analyze the motif across children’s literature. Trees are symbolic of many nouns… people, places, things, and ideas. At least for me, trees invoke feelings of magic, wonder, stability, and safety. I feel confident in surmising the same is true of others; otherwise, why are they so prevalent in these writings?

As an English major, Sigmund Freud captured my attention because of his essay The Interpretation of Dreams which in my humble opinion—along with The Uncanny—remains his most relevant work informing literary analysis. In the former essay, he explored the significance of dream-elements in proportion to each other. In terms of story (the supposed dream), and in service of the writing craft, how could his insights become writing exercises? That is, if Freud gave writing prompts about symbolism and metaphors, what would they look like?

Writing Exercise 1:

Freud wrote, “What is clearly the essence of the dream-thoughts need not be represented in the dream at all” (322). For this prompt, write a story about a tree without using the word tree. You may use any other tree-related words (branch, roots, etc), but nothing including the letters T-R-E-E in that order. After making a solid effort for at least 15 minutes, what did you find about the exercise? After pushing past the initial frustration of the task, what then? How did avoiding the word “tree” lead to a deeper exploration of it?

Writing Exercise 2:

Freud also wrote, “What appears in dreams, we might suppose, is not what is important in the dream-thoughts but what occurs in them several times over.” To reiterate more simply, not everything in the dream (or story, in our case) is of equal importance. The symbols that recur frequently or intensely are of higher significance. If you’ve never tried a controlling metaphor, one that lasts an entire story, now’s your chance. What does your tree represent? Take your tree story and look for places to reinforce your meanings. Meaning-making requires the discarding of the unlike qualities in favor of parallel groupings, so only bring up details that reinforce, not contradict, your metaphor.

Now if you’ve made it through my Freud-inspired prompts, you’re a trooper. This next one comes from a much more kidlit-friendly source: Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine.

There’s an old saying about forests and trees—that it’s easy to lose sight of one when focused on the other. To me, this is exactly the trick of storytelling: coordinating details and plot, scene and summary, moments and eons. As writers, it’s easy to get caught up in the metaphorical branches of line editing. But losing sight of the canopy is a consequential mistake. A story made entirely of descriptions of leaves isn’t going to cut it, but neither is a story full of faraway woodlands. To write well is to control pacing and distance.

Writing Exercise 3:

(Revision.) Take a passage of at least four consecutive sentences—any volunteer sentences will do—and revise it two ways. First, slow the pacing to a leaf-level, microscopic exploration of a moment. In painfully minute detail, describe everything. Try to triple or quadruple the number of sentences. Next, speed up the pacing while still retaining some semblance of the details from the original, but building the story out with explanation or context. You can be equally verbose, but the pacing must be quicker.

So, what did you think of today’s prompts? For more writing tips and tricks, check STEM Tuesday’s archives and/or visit me at StephanieWritesforKids.com.

Best,

Stephanie Jackson

With published work in Cricket magazine and the online poetry journal Dirigible Balloon, Stephanie Jackson writes everything kidlit: poems, articles, and board books through YA. In addition to holding an English degree, she regularly attends writing retreats and bookish events including Storymakers, WIFYR, and the Books For Young Readers Conference. She’s been a member of 12×12, Inked Voices, and other such mentoring groups. Current professional affiliations include SCBWI, The Author’s Guild, and NCTE. Personally, her hobbies include genealogy research and teacherly things. She’s a stay-at-home parent of four kids ages 5-14, and plans to teach ELA in secondary schools.

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STEM Tuesday– Forests/Temperate Trees — In the Classroom

By on January 13, 2026   /   Forests/Temperate Trees, STEM Tuesday  

 

Trees are some of nature’s most amazing creations! Around the world, trees of all sizes and shapes are the heart of forest ecosystems. They provide oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, stabilize soil, and serve as essential habitat and food sources for countless species. In these books, readers can take a walk through a number of different forests across the globe and join scientists and naturalists as they discover many amazing secrets of some remarkable trees. They make a great starting point for classroom discussions and activities!

 

Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Trees

by Patricia Daniels

Introductory pages include “what is a tree?” and provide lessons for recognizing leaves. Each tree entry includes a photo of the entire tree and a close-up of the leaves or needles, flowers, nuts, cones, or fruit. Special features and “fun facts” make this more than just an ordinary field guide.

 

Classroom Activity – Tree Detective

What types of trees grow where you live? Explain to students that they will act as “tree detectives.” Using observational skills, they will identify different types of trees in their neighborhood. Students should examine features such as leaf shape, size, and edges, as well as bark texture, seeds, and the tree’s overall shape. Using a simple tree identification chart or field guide, they can compare their observations to determine the tree’s species or group, such as deciduous or evergreen. As they work, students should record detailed observations of the trees they find and explain which characteristics helped them identify them. Students can share their findings with the class or create a local tree guidebook for the classroom.

 

Forests in Danger (A True Book: The Earth at Risk)

by Jasmine Ting

From the tropics to the poles, this book looks at three forest biomes and what makes each unique. A fourth chapter examines threats to forests, from invasive species and deforestation to fires, and shares ways kids can help with forest conservation. There’s also a great explainer about carbon capture.

 

 

Forest Ecosystems (Earth’s Ecosystems)

by Tammy Gagne

Divided into 12 sections, this book takes a close look at different kinds of forests around the world and the animals that live in them. The final two sections outline human impacts on forests and how people care for forests.

 

 

Classroom Activity – Forest Threats

Forests around the world are threatened by human activities, such as deforestation, climate change, pollution, and invasive species. Divide students into small groups and have each group investigate one of the threats facing the world’s forests. In their research, students should answer the following questions:

  • What is the threat facing forests?
  • How have humans caused/contributed to this threat?
  • What damage has this threat caused?
  • What types of forests have been impacted?
  • What is the impact on the greater forest ecosystem?
  • What conservation efforts are being made to restore/repair forests?
  • How can students help with conservation?

Students can create a presentation to share what they have learned with their classmates.

 

Can You Hear the Trees Talking? Discovering the Hidden Life of the Forest

by Peter Wohlleben

This book is a walk through the woods in seven chapters. Forest explorers learn how trees work, how they grow, animals that live in and around them, and more. Each spread examines a single question: How do trees drink? Do trees make babies? Can they talk? “Look” sidebars invite readers to notice something, and “Try This” activities provide hands-on STEM activities to explore the forest around you.

 

The Magic and Mystery of Trees (The Magic and Mystery of the Natural World)

by Jen Green

This browsable book opens with a map showing where trees live in the world. Five sections explore what a tree is, its flowers, fruits, and seeds, tree habitats, its partnerships with other species, and the complexities of human-tree relationships.

 

Classroom Activity – Trees in Earth’s Carbon Cycle

Trees play an important role in Earth’s carbon cycle, absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen through photosynthesis. Students can illustrate their role by creating a forest carbon cycle diagram that shows how carbon moves through a forest ecosystem. Consider how to answer/illustrate the following questions in the diagram:

  • Where do trees get the carbon dioxide they use for photosynthesis?
  • Where do they store carbon?
  • How does the carbon move from trees into animals and soil?
  • What is the role of decomposers?
  • How does carbon return to the atmosphere?
  • Why are forests an important carbon sink?

 

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Carla Mooney loves to explore the world around us and discover the details about how it works. An award-winning author of numerous nonfiction science books for kids and teens, she hopes to spark a healthy curiosity and love of science in today’s young people. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, three kids, and dog. Visit her at www.carlamooney.com.

 

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STEM Tuesday– Electricity — In the Classroom

By on December 9, 2025   /   Electricity, STEM Tuesday  

See what kind of spark grows in your students’ minds from these interesting classroom activities about electricity—this month’s theme for STEM Tuesday!

 

Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day by Dan Nott

This graphic novel makes incredible use of the comic format to break down complex systems and abstract concepts into bite-sized explanations. Nott not only explains the science behind our electricity, water, and internet systems, but also illuminates how these systems have encoded and perpetuated some of our human biases…sometimes with devastating consequences. This eye-opening book is sure to make you think differently about the technology you use everyday!

Activity

Have students pick one of the systems covered in the book: internet, power grid, or waterworks. Tell them to research a famous inventor who was important to the development of that system. Ask them to create presentations about the inventor, including a basic diagram of what that person invented. Students should explain its importance and other interesting details about its invention, such as how long it took to create and if there were any failures along the way.

 

Science Comics: Electricity: Energy in Action written and illustrated by Andy Hirsch

A dynamic graphic-nonfiction dive into volts, current, and power plants, wrapped in a monster-vs-mech storyline. Vibrant visuals and plenty of detail engage middle-grade readers (ages 9–13), though some heft in the science may require careful reading. A charged mix of education and adventure.

Activity

What’s the atoms’ story? Direct students to pages 7-8 of the book, showing atoms and their electrical fields. Have students make a mini-comic explaining the atoms characters stories.Tell students to have fun with it but keep electricity in the plot.

 

Look Inside an Electric Car by Taylor Fenmore

Part of Lerner’s “Peek Under the Hood” series, this slim volume introduces readers to the basics of electric cars and what makes them run. With large-print text and vibrant color photos, this short book would be a particularly good fit for younger and/or struggling readers.

Activity

What’s your dream electric car? Ask students to think of what they would want in their dream electric car. Have the draw it and label each feature that they want to include. Tell them to be as imaginative as they like!

 

Karen Latchana Kenney is a children’s author and editor who loves creating all kinds of STEM books and classroom content. Find her at https://www.karenlatchanakenney.com/.

 

 

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